Thyroid Mystery Solved: Hashimoto's and Hypothyroidism Revealed

The Case:  Alison has Hypothyroidism and Hashimoto’s and also experiences tons of digestion issues.  She often feels gassy and bloated and has trouble going to the bathroom. She’s tried taking all types of probiotics, eating super nutritious fermented foods, and done several colon cleanses, but nothing helped.    The Investigation When I met Alison, she explained that she had taken gut-support vitamins and eaten a healthy diet. However, I could see right away that she was missing a few big clues in solving her health mystery.    Gluten, Gut Health, and Hashimoto’s I’ve talked a lot about the connection between Hashimoto’s and our gut on the podcast in the past. I knew that this was at the core of solving Alison’s issues. To discuss it further, I invited Dr. Vincent Pedre, aka America's Gut Doctor, to the show.  Dr. Pedre is an internist and the author of the upcoming book The Gutsmart Protocol.  One of the first things he brings up is the connection between Hashimoto’s and gut health as well as gluten. We’ve talked a lot about this connection on the Health Mysteries Solved podcast - including my own journey with Hashimoto’s and gluten. Dr. Pedre shared the work of Alessio Fasano, who studied the effects of gluten on the gut and how gluten can trigger autoimmunity. He discovered that gluten triggers the release of a protein called Zonulin, which increases gut permeability. This leads to leaky gut, which can eventually result in autoimmunity. Dr. Pedre also explained that there are three key factors in the development of autoimmune diseases: genetic predisposition, environmental triggers (such as gluten), and leaky gut. He went on to explain that one of the enzymes that helps break down gluten, called tissue transglutaminase, can create a chimeric molecule that can be recognized by the body's immune system as an invader. This can lead to an antibody response and cross-reactivity, especially with the thyroid where tissue transglutaminase is found in high concentration. The Power of a Food Journal One of the best ways to solve a health mystery involving gut health is to keep track of everything that is being eaten. Dr. Pedre uses this technique to help him diagnose issues but also finds that the activity really helps patients better understand their own triggers. So often we are unaware of all of the things we put in our mouth - especially when we don’t know all of the ingredients in the food we eat. Dr. Pedre shared a powerful story about one of his patients having a complete epiphany after keeping a food journal for just a few days. This mindful practice helps us better connect with our eating and be better advocates for our own health. It reminds us that everything we eat is feeding our microbiome.  Balancing the Microbiome is Complex  Many people think that the answer to balancing the microbiome is to take a probiotic, but Dr. Pedre explains that it’s far more complex than that. And, because our microbiome controls so many aspects of our health, it’s imperative that we keep it balanced.  He explains that, while probiotics are helpful, they are just a small part of the bigger picture. His approach has changed over the years - he used to be quite aggressive in attacking the bad bugs but now he has a more holistic approach. This means looking at the person as a whole, their history, reactions to different things, and taking a gut-body-mind-spirit approach to healing. We’ve discussed this many times on the show (if you want a good overview, check out episode 112). The gut health issue is just a portal into something much bigger and it's important to approach it holistically. One of the keys to a holistic approach is to understand what is actually going on. Dr. Pedre will sometimes use stool testing but warns that it can be misleading. Instead, he looks at different types of gut issues, which I love because it has been such a successful way for me to help people with thyroid conditions. We both agree that a one-size-fits-all approach rarely works. There are so many things that could be at play in the gut issue including dysbiosis, yeast overgrowth, histamine issues, enzyme deficiency, leaky gut, damaged epithelium, SIBO or SIFO - and each of these will impact tolerance of probiotics and fermented foods.  Could Toning the Vagus Nerve Be the Answer? Dr. Vincent Pedre revealed a fascinating connection between the vagus nerve (also known as the vegal nerve) and our gut health issues. He explains that stress is a huge factor in affecting the vagus nerve, which is essentially the connection between the brain and internal organs, with the majority of communication being directed from the gut to the brain. As you know if you’ve listened to my past episodes, stress in our lives can seriously impact our health. We often think of our mental health when we think of stress but it can cause biophysical stress. This can affect the vagus nerve which can impact our digestive processes. To get the body back to a state of relaxation and proper digestion, it is important to activate the vagus nerve through exercises and mindfulness practices. Dr. Pedre recommends deep breathing exercises where you breathe in and then exhale with a hum (or ‘Ohm’ sound).  Dr. Pedre also stresses the importance of understanding the interconnectedness of the gut microbiome and the vagal nerve, as the gut microbiome stimulates vagal nerve receptors and sends signals back to the brain. He highlights that in order to achieve optimal gut health, one must address all aspects of the holistic healing plan, including stress levels, and not just focus on diet and supplements. Solving Digestion Issues is not One-Size-Fits-All Just like I always say about healing autoimmune issues (like Hashimoto’s), the solution is never one-size-fits-all. There are so many factors at play and the same is true with digestive issues. This is especially true when it is in combination with autoimmunity and thyroid health. We have to look at it from all angles and customize the solution as much as possible. This is what we did with Alison.  First, we assessed what was going on. Alison was taking lots of vitamins and eating a ton of fermented foods. This can be great but they do not work for everyone. In fact, fermented foods can sometimes make things worse because of other imbalances in the gut. To get started, we removed those highly fermented foods and started her on a low histamine diet.  We ran a Vibrant Zoomers test, genetic tests and a stool test. The results revealed that gluten was an issue for her – all of the things she was taking to heal her gut were being undone by her gluten consumption. We saw that she had SIBO, and the probiotics she was taking were making it worse because her body wasn’t able to handle them.  This is a classic case of doing ‘all the healthy things’ that turn out to be the wrong things for the individual. Next Steps Alison was also always in a rush and didn’t take much time to eat so we worked on slowing down. She also created more time for her. Stress increases our cortisol levels (that’s why it’s called the stress hormone) which, in turn, impacts our immune system and gut health. We supported Alison’s stress through lifestyle adjustments and the supplement PS 150. Happy Ending Just 2 months after making diet and lifestyle changes, Alison felt calmer, lighter, and was able to eliminate better. As things were improving, we then started to support the SIBO by doing 6 weeks of FC Cidal and Dysbiocide followed by SBI Protect to help bind and remove some of the bacterial toxins called LPS that were creating damage in the gut.  As we were supporting this, I also optimized her thyroid. She was the ‘Low T3 Type’ and so we worked with her doctor to fine-tune her thyroid medication to include more T3 while using Zinc and Selenium to improve conversion. This made even more of a difference and she has significantly less gas and bloating, and was able to easily go to the bathroom every day which was a huge win! Eliminating Health Mysteries For Alison we were able to find that missing piece of the health puzzle and help her regain her health. Could this be the missing clue for you or someone in your life?    Links: Resources mentioned Thanks to my guest Dr. Vincent Pedre! You can connect with him and pre-order his book at: https://gutsmartprotocol.com/ You can follow him on Facebook and Instagram too.    Suggested Products PS 150 FC Cidal Dysbiocide SBI Protect Zinc  Selenium Related Podcast Episodes: Top 5 Mistakes When Navigating the Many Symptoms of Hashimoto’s How to Reprogram your Gut Microbiome for Optimal Digestion, Weight Loss and Anti-Aging The Case of Daily Bloating and Gas w/ Dr. Seth Osgood   Thanks for Listening If you like what you heard, please rate and review this podcast. Every piece of feedback not only helps me create better shows, it helps more people find this important information. Never miss an episode -  Subscribe NOW to Health Mysteries Solved with host, Inna Topiler on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher or Google Podcasts and remember to rate and review the show! Find out more at http://healthmysteriessolved.com PLEASE NOTE All information, content, and material on this podcast are for informational purposes only and are not intended to serve as a substitute for the consultation, diagnosis, and/or medical treatment of a qualified physician or healthcare provider. Some of the links provided are affiliate links. This means we may make a very small amount of money should you choose to buy after clicking on them. This will in no way affect the price of the product but it helps us a tiny bit in covering our expenses.  

Show Notes

The Case:  
  • Alison has Hypothyroidism and Hashimoto’s and also experiences tons of digestion issues. 
  • She often feels gassy and bloated and has trouble going to the bathroom.
  • She’s tried taking all types of probiotics, eating super nutritious fermented foods, and done several colon cleanses, but nothing helped. 
 
The Investigation
When I met Alison, she explained that she had taken gut-support vitamins and eaten a healthy diet. However, I could see right away that she was missing a few big clues in solving her health mystery. 
 Gluten, Gut Health, and Hashimoto’s 
I’ve talked a lot about the connection between Hashimoto’s and our gut on the podcast in the past. I knew that this was at the core of solving Alison’s issues. To discuss it further, I invited Dr. Vincent Pedre, aka America's Gut Doctor, to the show.  Dr. Pedre is an internist and the author of the upcoming book The Gutsmart Protocol. 
One of the first things he brings up is the connection between Hashimoto’s and gut health as well as gluten. We’ve talked a lot about this connection on the Health Mysteries Solved podcast - including my own journey with Hashimoto’s and gluten. Dr. Pedre shared the work of Alessio Fasano, who studied the effects of gluten on the gut and how gluten can trigger autoimmunity. He discovered that gluten triggers the release of a protein called Zonulin, which increases gut permeability. This leads to leaky gut, which can eventually result in autoimmunity. Dr. Pedre also explained that there are three key factors in the development of autoimmune diseases: genetic predisposition, environmental triggers (such as gluten), and leaky gut.
He went on to explain that one of the enzymes that helps break down gluten, called tissue transglutaminase, can create a chimeric molecule that can be recognized by the body's immune system as an invader. This can lead to an antibody response and cross-reactivity, especially with the thyroid where tissue transglutaminase is found in high concentration. The Power of a Food Journal 
One of the best ways to solve a health mystery involving gut health is to keep track of everything that is being eaten. Dr. Pedre uses this technique to help him diagnose issues but also finds that the activity really helps patients better understand their own triggers. So often we are unaware of all of the things we put in our mouth - especially when we don’t know all of the ingredients in the food we eat. Dr. Pedre shared a powerful story about one of his patients having a complete epiphany after keeping a food journal for just a few days. This mindful practice helps us better connect with our eating and be better advocates for our own health. It reminds us that everything we eat is feeding our microbiome. Balancing the Microbiome is Complex  
Many people think that the answer to balancing the microbiome is to take a probiotic, but Dr. Pedre explains that it’s far more complex than that. And, because our microbiome controls so many aspects of our health, it’s imperative that we keep it balanced. 
He explains that, while probiotics are helpful, they are just a small part of the bigger picture. His approach has changed over the years - he used to be quite aggressive in attacking the bad bugs but now he has a more holistic approach. This means looking at the person as a whole, their history, reactions to different things, and taking a gut-body-mind-spirit approach to healing. We’ve discussed this many times on the show (if you want a good overview, check out episode 112). The gut health issue is just a portal into something much bigger and it's important to approach it holistically.
One of the keys to a holistic approach is to understand what is actually going on. Dr. Pedre will sometimes use stool testing but warns that it can be misleading. Instead, he looks at different types of gut issues, which I love because it has been such a successful way for me to help people with thyroid conditions. We both agree that a one-size-fits-all approach rarely works. There are so many things that could be at play in the gut issue including dysbiosis, yeast overgrowth, histamine issues, enzyme deficiency, leaky gut, damaged epithelium,  SIBO or SIFO - and each of these will impact tolerance of probiotics and fermented foods. Could Toning the Vagus Nerve Be the Answer? 
Dr. Vincent Pedre revealed a fascinating connection between the vagus nerve (also known as the vegal nerve) and our gut health issues. He explains that stress is a huge factor in affecting the vagus nerve, which is essentially the connection between the brain and internal organs, with the majority of communication being directed from the gut to the brain.
As you know if you’ve listened to my past episodes, stress in our lives can seriously impact our health. We often think of our mental health when we think of stress but it can cause biophysical stress. This can affect the vagus nerve which can impact our digestive processes. To get the body back to a state of relaxation and proper digestion, it is important to activate the vagus nerve through exercises and mindfulness practices. Dr. Pedre recommends deep breathing exercises where you breathe in and then exhale with a hum (or ‘Ohm’ sound). 
Dr. Pedre also stresses the importance of understanding the interconnectedness of the gut microbiome and the vagal nerve, as the gut microbiome stimulates vagal nerve receptors and sends signals back to the brain. He highlights that in order to achieve optimal gut health, one must address all aspects of the holistic healing plan, including stress levels, and not just focus on diet and supplements. Solving Digestion Issues is not One-Size-Fits-All 
Just like I always say about healing autoimmune issues (like Hashimoto’s), the solution is never one-size-fits-all. There are so many factors at play and the same is true with digestive issues. This is especially true when it is in combination with autoimmunity and thyroid health. We have to look at it from all angles and customize the solution as much as possible. This is what we did with Alison. 
First, we assessed what was going on. Alison was taking lots of vitamins and eating a ton of fermented foods. This can be great but they do not work for everyone. In fact, fermented foods can sometimes make things worse because of other imbalances in the gut. To get started, we removed those highly fermented foods and started her on a low histamine diet. 
We ran a Vibrant Zoomers test, genetic tests and a stool test. The results revealed that gluten was an issue for her – all of the things she was taking to heal her gut were being undone by her gluten consumption. We saw that she had SIBO, and the probiotics she was taking were making it worse because her body wasn’t able to handle them. 
This is a classic case of doing ‘all the healthy things’ that turn out to be the wrong things for the individual. Next Steps 
Alison was also always in a rush and didn’t take much time to eat so we worked on slowing down. She also created more time for her. Stress increases our cortisol levels (that’s why it’s called the stress hormone) which, in turn, impacts our immune system and gut health. We supported Alison’s stress through lifestyle adjustments and the supplement  PS 150. Happy Ending 
Just 2 months after making diet and lifestyle changes, Alison felt calmer, lighter, and was able to eliminate better. As things were improving, we then started to support the SIBO by doing 6 weeks of  FC Cidal and  Dysbiocide followed by  SBI Protect to help bind and remove some of the bacterial toxins called LPS that were creating damage in the gut. 
As we were supporting this, I also optimized her thyroid. She was the ‘Low T3 Type’ and so we worked with her doctor to fine-tune her thyroid medication to include more T3 while using  Zinc and Selenium to improve conversion.
This made even more of a difference and she has significantly less gas and bloating, and was able to easily go to the bathroom every day which was a huge win! Eliminating Health Mysteries 
For Alison we were able to find that missing piece of the health puzzle and help her regain her health. Could this be the missing clue for you or someone in your life? 
 Links: 
Resources mentioned
Thanks to my guest Dr. Vincent Pedre! You can connect with him and pre-order his book at: https://gutsmartprotocol.com/ You can follow him on Facebook and Instagram too. 
 
Suggested Products
 PS 150
 FC Cidal
 Dysbiocide
 SBI Protect
 Zinc 
Selenium Related Podcast Episodes: 
 Top 5 Mistakes When Navigating the Many Symptoms of Hashimoto’s  How to Reprogram your Gut Microbiome for Optimal Digestion, Weight Loss and Anti-Aging  The Case of Daily Bloating and Gas w/ Dr. Seth Osgood
 
Thanks for Listening
If you like what you heard, please rate and review this podcast. Every piece of feedback not only helps me create better shows, it helps more people find this important information.
Never miss an episode -  Subscribe NOW to Health Mysteries Solved with host, Inna Topiler on  Apple Podcasts,  Spotify, Stitcher or  Google Podcasts and remember to rate and review the show!
Find out more at http://healthmysteriessolved.com
 PLEASE NOTE
All information, content, and material on this podcast are for informational purposes only and are not intended to serve as a substitute for the consultation, diagnosis, and/or medical treatment of a qualified physician or healthcare provider.
Some of the links provided are affiliate links. This means we may make a very small amount of money should you choose to buy after clicking on them. This will in no way affect the price of the product but it helps us a tiny bit in covering our expenses.
 

What is Thyroid Mystery Solved: Hashimoto's and Hypothyroidism Revealed?

If you have Hashimoto’s or Hypothyroidism - YOU ARE IN THE RIGHT PLACE. You have probably seen a doctor (or two) to help you improve energy, lose weight, reduce brain fog, help hair loss and many other symptoms. You may have tried medication and maybe even diet changes and supplements. 

However even with that, you may still not feel completely supported or back to your old self. Instead you are likely feeling discouraged, dismissed, and lost. Sound familiar?
 
When it comes to dealing with your frustrating thyroid, Hashimoto's and autoimmunity symptoms, you have to really understand where the symptoms stem from and look at them from all angles - like a detective.

That’s exactly what host, Inna Topiler does in Thyroid Mystery Solved - Hashimoto's and Hypothyroidism Revealed. As a leading Thyroid and Hashimoto’s expert and Board Certified Clinical Nutritionist with 20 years in clinical practice, she refuses to accept the unexplained and looks at thyroid in a much more detailed way. 

In this podcast, she shares real cases where she reveals how she solved the thyroid issue and gives the exact protocols that she used with her patients, clients and students to help them feel like their old selves. She shares her vast knowledge and sheds so much light on thyroid and offers practical step by step guides to help you feel better too. 

The answers are out there, you just have to know where to find the clues. Whether you are newly diagnosed with Hashimoto's or Hypothyroidism or have been dealing with thyroid challenges for a while, please know you are NOT alone. This is a place where you will be seen, heard and understood and will gain such valuable insights with Inna's in depth and heartfelt explanations. 

It’s time for you to solve your Thyroid Mystery without having to spend hours a day researching or struggling to make sense of contradicting information.  The life you deserve is closer than you think and YES you CAN lose weight, improve your energy, fight brain fog and reduce inflammation with Hashimoto's and thyroid issues. 

Subscribe to Thyroid Mystery Solved - Hashimoto's and Hypothyroidism Revealed and Inna will show you as many possible answers starting right NOW!